~ – Where the magic starts –

Her

“We are only here briefly, and in this moment I want to allow myself joy”

What is it about?

As David Bowie’s song from the beginning of “Moulin Rouge” says: There was a boy A very strange Enchanted boy. So here does our story begin. Theodore is just getting divorced when there is this new technology development: a new IOS for computers. This IOS is an AI (artificial intelligence) that can behave like a real human being. So, Theodore buys one for his computer, namely Scarlett Johansson voice, and between them a new love relationship is bonded.

What is good about it?

The story. The actors. the actresses. The voices!

Although the story is set in the future, it shall be said that it is the not so far future, as it could be really happening right now, in this instant (but change IOS for another thing instead). The idea of love between a human and an AI is nothing new, please watch “Blade Runner” for instance, thank you very much. But here, we do not feel like we are inside a science fiction movie at all, but a movie about life and about love. It is really an interesting exercise to think, if we could fall in love with something that yes it is alive, but it is not breathing.

Joaquin Phoenix really makes this movie move forward. He does an amazing job with his interpretation of the recently divorced that need someone to be there for him, and that is where Samantha enters. Samantha, who we cannot see in the whole movie and who we cannot picture here with a face (although it happened to me that as it was Scarlet’s voice I just imagined it was her as Black Widow talking to Joaquin). Scarlet really does an amazing work with her voice, transmitting to the audience how she is exactly feeling at all moments, a voice with feeling, nothing like those typical robotic voice we are used in science fiction movies. Finally, last but not least, we have Amy Adams (again this year) and Rooney Mara. Both women have a short appearance in the movie, but a really powerful one, as always, they are fantastic on-screen.

Did you know?

– Samantha Morton was originally the voice of Samantha. She was present on the set with Joaquin Phoenix every day. After the filming wrapped and Spike Jonze started editing the movie, he felt like something was not right. With Morton’s blessing, he decided to recast the role and Scarlett Johansson was brought and replaced Morton, re-recording all the dialogue..

– Chosen by The Film Society of Lincoln Center as the featured film to close its prestigious New York Film Festival on October 13, 2013, in NYC.

– Most of the city backgrounds, especially the ones featuring skyscrapers, are actually filmed in Shanghai. You can see many very identifiable skyscrapers such as the Shanghai World Financial Center. There are even Chinese signs if you look carefully. Apparently, Shanghai now is what Los Angeles will look like in the future.

– During some of the more emotional scenes, Amy Adams would sing songs from famous musicals like “Annie” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in order to cheer herself up. Eventually, Joaquin Phoenix would join in and they would sing together. However, they stopped after they saw Spike Jonze filming them.

Oscar Nominations: 5

– Best Motion Picture of the Year

– Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

– Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song